1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer aided design technology for performing design work by setting a plurality of views of different origins and coordinate systems on a screen, and in particular to techniques for improving operability.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, there is known a computer aided design (referred to hereunder as CAD) apparatus wherein drafting, simulation etc. in design work is performed in interactive form with a computer. As one example of a CAD apparatus, there is a device incorporating a view function which sets a plurality of views of different origins and coordinate systems on a screen, and performs design work in the respective views corresponding to elevation view, plan view and side view. With CAD provided with a view function, in order to define the input regions in the respective views, the setting of the view frames for the input regions is generally performed for each respective view.
However, with CAD provided with a view function, in the case of inputting a drawing element which exceeds the view frame, the view frame must be enlarged or the display scale factor for the drawing element changed before inputting the drawing element.
Generally, the input of the drawing element to one view frame accompanies the input operation for the drawing element to the other view frame. That is to say, when the drawing element is input to the elevation view, the drawing element must also be reflected in the plan view and the side view etc. Consequently, in the case where a plurality of view frames are set, the input of a drawing element which exceeds the view frame requires enlargement of all of the view frames. Hence operability is poor.
Accordingly, the present invention takes into consideration the above heretofore problems, with the object of providing techniques for improving operability in CAD provided with a view function, in the case of inputting a drawing element which exceeds the view frame, by performing automatic enlargement of the view frame or automatic modification of the display scale factor.
Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to distribute recording media on which the computer aided design program of the present invention is recorded, so that people who acquire the recording media can easily construct a computer aided design apparatus.
To achieve the aforementioned objects, a first means for solving the problems is characterized in that a computer aided design apparatus comprises; a view creating device for creating a view in which an origin and a coordinate system are set on a screen, a view frame creating device for creating a view frame which becomes an input region for the view created by the view creating device, a first judgment device for judging, when a drawing element is being input to the view frame created by the view frame creating device, if part of the drawing element has been input to outside of the view frame, and a view frame enlarging device for enlarging, when judged by the first judgment device that part of the drawing element has been input to outside of the view frame, the view frame so as to contain the drawing element.
With such a construction, in the case of performing design work, at first a view in which is set an origin and a coordinate system is created by the view creating device. Then as required, a view frame serving as an input region for the view, is created by the view frame creating device. After this, the operation of inputting the drawing element to the created view frame is performed. With the operation of inputting the drawing element, when part of the drawing element is input to outside of the view frame, this condition is detected by the first judgment device. As a result, the view frame is automatically enlarged by the view frame enlarging device so as to contain the input drawing element. On the other hand, if the drawing element is not input to outside of the view frame, input of the drawing element to outside of the view frame is not detected, and hence the view frame is not automatically enlarged. That is to say, when part of the drawing element is input to outside of the view frame, the view frame is automatically enlarged to contain the input drawing element, and hence the operation of enlarging the view frame prior to input of the drawing element is not required. Consequently in the case of inputting a drawing element which exceeds the view frame, the operation of enlarging the view frame prior to input of the drawing element is not required, and hence operability can be improved.
Furthermore, the construction may be such that in the case where there is another view frame other than the view frame into which the drawing element has been input, the view frame enlarging device also enlarges the other view frame.
With such a construction, in the case where there is another view frame other than the view frame into which the drawing element has been input, the other view frame is also enlarged in conjunction with the enlargement of the view frame into which the drawing element has been input. For example, with a screen for displaying three views, when a drawing element is input to a view frame for displaying the elevation view, the input drawing element must also be input to view frames for displaying the plan view and the side view. Consequently, if the other view frames are also automatically enlarged, then when a drawing element is input to the other view frames, it is not necessary to again modify the size of the view frame. Hence operating efficiency can be increased.
Moreover, the construction may be such that the view frame enlarging device comprises; a second judgment device for judging, in the case where the view frame into which the drawing element has been input is enlarged, if the view frame would overlap the other view frame, and an enlargement prohibit device for prohibiting enlargement of the view frame into which the drawing element has been input and the other view frame, when judged by the second judgment device that there would be overlap.
With such a construction, the second judgment device judges, when the view frame into which the drawing element has been input is enlarged, if this would overlap the other view frame. Then, if judged that this would overlap the other view frame, enlargement of the view frame is prohibited by the enlargement prohibit device. Consequently, mutual overlapping of the view frames can be prevented, thus avoiding difficulties in the design operation.
In addition, the construction may be such that the view frame enlarging device comprises; a rectangular region computing device for computing a rectangular region circumscribing the drawing element and all of the already input drawing elements, and an enlarging device for enlarging the view frame into which the drawing element has been input so as to coincide with the rectangular region computed by the rectangular region computing device.
With such a construction, in enlarging the view frame so as to contain the input drawing element, at first a rectangular region circumscribing the drawing element and all of the already input drawing elements is computed by the rectangular region computing device. After this, the view frame is enlarged by the enlarging device so as to coincide with the computed rectangular region. Consequently, enlargement control of the view frame is performed by an extremely simple process, and hence any drop in performance of the computer aided design apparatus can be prevented.
A second means for solving the problems is characterized in that a computer aided design apparatus comprises; a view creating device for creating a view in which an origin and a coordinate system are set on a screen, a view frame creating device for creating a view frame which becomes an input region for the view created by the view creating device, a judgment device for judging, when a drawing element is being input to the view frame created by the view frame creating device, if part of the drawing element has been input to outside of the view frame, and a display scale factor modifying device for modifying, when judged by the judgment device that part of the drawing element has been input to outside of the view frame, a display scale factor for the drawing element and all of the already input drawing elements so that they are all displayed within the view frame.
With such a construction, in the case of performing design work, at first a view in which is set an origin and a coordinate system is created by the view creating device. Then as required, a view frame serving as an input region for the view, is created by the view frame creating device. After this, the operation of inputting the drawing element to the created view frame is performed. With the operation of inputting the drawing element, when part of the drawing element is input to outside of the view frame, this condition is detected by the judgment device. As a result, the display scale factor for the drawing element and all of the already input drawing elements is automatically modified by the display scale factor modifying device so that they are all displayed within the view frame. On the other hand, if the drawing element is not input to outside of the view frame, input of the drawing element to outside of the view frame is not detected, and hence the display scale factor for the drawing element is not automatically modified. That is to say, when part of the drawing element is input to outside of the view frame, the display scale factor is automatically modified so that all of the drawing elements are displayed within the view frame, and hence the operation of modifying the display scale factor prior to input of the drawing element is not required. Consequently in the case of inputting a drawing element which exceeds the view frame, the operation of modifying the display scale factor prior to input of the drawing element is not required, and hence operability can be improved.
Furthermore, the construction may be such that in the case where there is another view frame other than the view frame into which the drawing element has been input, the display scale factor modifying device also modifies the display scale factor for the other view frame.
With such a construction, in the case where there is another view frame other than the view frame into which the drawing element has been input, the display scale factor for the other view frame is also modified in conjunction with the modification of the display scale factor for the view frame into which the drawing element has been input. For example, with a screen for displaying three views, when a drawing element is input to a view frame for displaying the elevation view, the input drawing element must also be input to view frames for displaying the plan view and the side view. Consequently, if the display scale factors for the other view frames are also automatically modified, the display scale factors for all of the view frames are unified, and hence the drawing element can be input while referring to the drawing displayed on the other view frames, thus enabling a reduction in design error.
The construction may be such that the display scale factor modifying device comprises; a rectangular region computing device for computing a rectangular region circumscribing the drawing element and all of the already input drawing elements, a reduction scale factor computing device for computing a reduction scale factor for displaying the drawing element and all of the already input drawing elements within the rectangular region computed by the rectangular region computing device, and a modifying device for modifying the display scale factor for the drawing element and all of the already input drawing elements, based on the reduction scale factor computed by the reduction scale factor computing device.
With such a construction, in displaying all of the drawing elements in the view frame, at first a rectangular region circumscribing the drawing element and all of the already input drawing elements is computed by the rectangular region computing device. Then, a reduction scale factor for displaying all of the drawing elements within the computed rectangular region is computed by the reduction scale factor computing device. After this, the display scale factor for the drawing element and all of the already input drawing elements is modified by the modifying device, based on the computed reduction scale factor. Consequently, modification control of the display scale factor is performed by an extremely simple process, and hence any drop in performance of the computer aided design apparatus can be prevented.
A third means for solving the problems is characterized in that a computer aided design method comprises; a view creating step for creating a view in which an origin and a coordinate system are set on a screen, a view frame creating step for creating a view frame which becomes an input region for the view created by the view creating step, a judgment step for judging, when a drawing element is being input to the view frame created by the view frame creating step, if part of the drawing element has been input to outside of the view frame, and a view frame enlarging step for enlarging, when judged by the judgment step that part of the drawing element has been input to outside of the view frame, the view frame so as to contain the drawing element.
With such a construction, in the case of performing design work, at first a view in which is set an origin and a coordinate system is created by the view creating step. Then as required, a view frame serving as an input region for the view, is created by the view frame creating step. After this, the operation of inputting the drawing element to the created view frame is performed. With the operation of inputting the drawing element, when part of the drawing element is input to outside of the view frame, this condition is detected by the judgment step. As a result, the view frame is automatically enlarged by the view frame enlarging step so as to contain the input drawing element. On the other hand, if the drawing element is not input to outside of the view frame, input of the drawing element to outside of the view frame is not detected, and hence the view frame is not automatically enlarged. That is to say, when part of the drawing element is input to outside of the view frame, the view frame is automatically enlarged to contain the input drawing element, and hence the operation of enlarging the view frame prior to input of the drawing element is not required. Consequently in the case of inputting a drawing element which exceeds the view frame, the operation of enlarging the view frame prior to input of the drawing element is not required, and hence operability can be improved.
A fourth means for solving the problems is characterized in that a computer aided design method comprises; a view creating step for creating a view in which an origin and a coordinate system are set on a screen, a view frame creating step for creating a view frame which becomes an input region for the view created by the view creating step, a judgment device for judging, when a drawing element is being input to the view frame created by the view frame creating step, if part of the drawing element has been input to outside of the view frame, and a display scale factor modifying step for modifying, when judged by the judgment step that part of the drawing element and all of the already input drawing elements has been input to outside of the view frame, a display scale factor for the drawing element so that the drawing element and all of the already input drawing elements are displayed within the view frame.
With such a construction in the case of performing design work, at first a view in which is set an origin and a coordinate system is created by the view creating step. Then as required, a view frame serving as an input region for the view, is created by the view frame creating step. After this, the operation of inputting the drawing element to the created view frame is performed. With the operation of inputting the drawing element, when part of the drawing element is input to outside of the view frame, this condition is detected by the judgment step.
As a result, the display scale factor for the drawing element and all of the already input drawing elements is automatically modified by the display scale factor modifying step so that the drawing element and all of the already input drawing elements are displayed within the view frame. On the other hand, if the drawing element is not input to outside of the view frame, input of the drawing element to outside of the view frame is not detected, and hence the display scale factor for the drawing element is not automatically modified. That is to say, when part of the drawing element is input to outside of the view frame, the display scale factor is automatically modified so that all of the drawing elements are displayed within the view frame, and hence the operation of modifying the display scale factor prior to input of the drawing element which exceeds the view frame, the operation of modifying the display scale factor prior to input of the drawing element is not required and hence operability can be improved.
As a fifth means for solving the problems there is provided a recording medium on which is recorded a computer aided design program for realizing; a view creating function for creating a view in which an origin and a coordinate system are set on a screen, a view frame creating function for creating a view frame which becomes an input region for the view created by the view creating function, a judgment function for judging, when a drawing element is being input to the view frame created by the view frame creating function, if part of the drawing element has been input to outside of the view frame, and a view frame enlarging function for enlarging, when judged by the judgment function that part of the drawing element has been input to outside of the view frame, the view frame so as to contain the drawing element.
Here, xe2x80x9crecording mediumxe2x80x9d means any medium which allows reliable recording of electronic information and which also allows the reliable retrieval of the information as required; for example portable media such as magnetic tapes, magnetic disks, magnetic drums, IC cards and CD-ROMs.
With such a construction, a computer aided design program for realizing; a view creating function, a view frame creating function, a judgment function, and a view frame enlarging function is recorded on a recording medium. Consequently, with a recording medium on which such a program is recorded, a computer aided design apparatus according to the present invention can be easily constructed using a typical electronic computer system.
As a sixth means for solving the problems there is provided a recording medium on which is recorded a computer aided design program for realizing; a view creating function for creating a view in which an origin and a coordinate system are set on a screen, a view frame creating function for creating a view frame which becomes an input region for the view created by the view creating function, a judgment function for judging, when a drawing element is being input to the view frame created by the view frame creating function, if part of the drawing element has been input to outside of the view frame and a display scale factor modifying function for modifying, when judged by the judgment function that part of the drawing element has been input to outside of the view frame, a display scale factor for the drawing element and all of the already input drawing elements so that the drawing element and all of the already input drawing elements are displayed within the view frame.
With such a construction, a computer aided design program for realizing; a view creating function, a view frame creating function, a judgment function, and a display scale factor modifying function is recorded on a recording medium. Consequently, with a recording medium on which such a program is recorded, a computer aided design apparatus according to the present invention can be easily constructed using a typical electronic computer system.